Self-lubricating axle



C. M. FEIST.

SELF LUBRICATING AXLE. APPucATloN FILED JULY 29, |920.

Patented June 28, 1921.;

TIEBJ. l F15. 25 l i l f u. JW l n@ i 16 If wwww y I f if' UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.y

CHARLES M. FEIST, 0F SIOUX CITY, IOWA.

SELF-LUBRICATING AXLCE.

Application led July 29,

. To cZZ whom t may concer-a:

- ing adapted to have a fixed mounting for J may receiving the wheelthereon, the bearing being ventilated or maintained in comparativelycool condition during operation of the wheel. A specific object of theinvention is to provide a bearing of the type above noted having aparticular form of lubricant-holding means fixed therein and occupying amaterial portion of the interior space thereof, and also to so mountthis bearing that it be readily removed from its supporting means. Astill further 4specific object of the invention is to provide a bearingof the class specified having a bearing surface which accurately fitswithin a wheel hub and also to provide for an eiiicient electricalcontact between the wheel and bearing and suporting means therefor, andto so arrange the lubricant in the bearing or axle that it will not inthe least'interfere with the electrical contact between the wheel andthe bearing or axle.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionconsists 1n the construction and arrangement of 'parts which will bemore fully hereinafter described and claimed.

lThe present invention is an improvement on the wheels and bearings oraxles disclosed by m prior Patents, No. 7 96,829, of August s, 1905, No.1,172,965,011' February 22, 1916, and No. 1,844,495, of June 22, 1920.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the improved bearing or axleapplied to an electrical trolley wheel harp and pole to demonstrate oneparticularly preferred application thereof, and in the followingdescription the bearing or axle will be disclosed in detail inconnection with such type of trolley wheel to present one practicalillustration of the advantages of the improvements, The fea..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 28, 1921.

1920. sum1 No. 399,840.

tures of improvement, however, are equally well applicable to otherforms of bearings and wheels, and will be adopted in the latter.

In the drawing: Figure 1 represents a side elevation showmg a trolleywheel and harp and a portion of a pole embodying the features of thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 represents a transverseseotion on an enlarged scale taken on theline 22,V

Fig. 1. Fi Fig.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4 4, Fig: 2, showinga part of thetrolley wheel 1n side elevation.

The numeral 5 designates a socket at the upper end of the usual form oftrolley pole 6, said socket having a pair of socketed jaws or sections 7and 8 of duplicate construction 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3,

extending therefrom and providing halves j of the harp. The trolley pole6 is secured in the socket by transverse bolts or analogous fastenings9, and disposed wellup on the socket, are combined guard and reinforcingribs 10 projecting outwardly from 4diametrically opposite portions ofthe upper part of the socket and also continuing upwardly over thecenters of the harp halves orzmembers 7 and 8, as at 11 and 12. The ribs11 and 12 are separated at their inner terminals to clear the centers ofthe harp halves or members for a purpose which will. be presentlyexplained. The ribs 10, 11 and 12 also have another particular function,and that is to prevent the bolt heads and nuts from hooking on overheadwires, the said ribs standing out far enough and having such shape as tocause the wires to clear the said bolt heads and nuts which serve as thefastening means for the several parts of the improved device. At asuitable point on the socket 5 a rope swivel 13 is mounted and has awell understood function.

The harp is recessed or the halves 7 and 8 thereof are spaced suchrelative distances as to receive a grooved trolley wheel 14 which has anenlarged central eye or cylindrical bore 15 of equal diameter throughoutits length, the said eye or bore being formed through a hub 16. mountedand closely tted on a spool-like bearing or axle 17 of equal diameterthroughout its length and held fixed between the harp halves or sections7 and 8 by removable bolts 18 extending transverselyT The hub isrotatably v yis'acasing 20 of'substantially rectangular formohaving oneend fully open as at 21 and secured inthe opening 19 of the bearing oraxle, as clearly 'shown by Fig. 4. The opposite'enfdl22 ofthefcasing 20is closed and conforms in contour to the inner surface of Vthe v"bearingvor 'axle vagainst which it is Y Ysn'ng'ly'fitted'` andis held Vfast byrivets or i or axle17.

fastenings'23, passing through the saidend 22 andtheV adjacent portionof the bearing vThe terminals of the openen'd ed'oif flush with theouter sur- 2,1 'are' dres facey of the bearing or axle-17 so as `toavoidV the least projection thereofgbeyond the said axlesfurface."VWithin the casing 20 a holder 2 4; is mounted tof KYfreelyslide and isengaged byspiral springsf26 interposed between the samefandthe-"closed'end22 of the casing.

The springsf-26`tendto force `the holder 24 p' outwardlythroughfth'eopenend 21 of the ca"sfing"20,V and in this holder alubricating *i block `27of Y held and has; an outer convex surface`28co-nbev automatically lubricated. The

suitable'material is removably forming Ain` fcurvature to the bore 15 ofthe wheel'hub 16 and whereby the wheel may casing 2O l occupiescnlyaportion of the interior Vspace l f ment Vof thev bearing ofthe tubularbearing or axle 17 to effect the. desirable YVentilating character ofthe Vbearingor axle, or to provide for airchambers'at'oppositefsidesofthe casing 20 as at 29 c'ontainingfair,which will materially reduce the heating tendency of the bearing oraxle. The `opposite inner sides of the harp halves or sectionsV V7 and 8adjacent to their upper terminals'areformed with inwardly bosses 30which snuglyrfitin the oppositeopen ends of the tubularbearing or axle17 and set up a reliable Velectrical Contact between theV said bearingor axle and the harpv halves or sections and also provide for aYpositive placee or axle, and the bolts 18 are inserted through theharphalves or sections and the bosses and also'throughfthe chambers 29of' the bearingor axle at oppo- Y interposed, said washers beingpreferably formed of fiber or otherantifrictionalmaterial.v 'Thesewashers prevent cutting of the bearing or axle or undue wear by thewheel moving the unused portion andxinserting al hub on the said Aaxleorbearing at the opposite end edges thereof.

The improved bearing or axle, wheel and harpl halves or sections may bereadily and easily associated, and, if necessary, the parts may beconveniently separated simply byremoving the bolts 18. In the operationof the lubricating part of the improved bearing or axle the lubricatingblock 27 is forced outwardlythrough theopen end of the casing- 20 andisbrought in contact with thebore 15 o f the wheel hub 16 to therebythoroughly lubricatethe hub and effect an easy running of the wheel 14on the bearing or axle. The lubricating block 27 willV be fedautomatically or continuously projected as it` wears down by the springs26, and .whent has become fully used it may be replaced by re` newblockV in the holder 24.*

The improved form of Atrolley wheel and bearing or axle, whether used inconnection withV overhead trolley wires. or electrical conductorsforwith other wheels, materially re-V Y ducesthe costl of construction ofbearings or axles of this `'type andf particularly; selflubricatingbearings, f and rthe comparative lightness of the improvedbearing'foraxle, which is made possible by the. specific construction thereof ashereinbefore explained, is also of material advantage in organiza-4tions of this'class', and'at the same time the necessary strength anddurability of Vthe bearing or axle ismaintained.V What v.is `claimed isrYl; A wheel bearing-ofthe class specified, consisting o fa cylindricaltubular body hav-iV ing an opening in the side wall'thereof, a casing:Vextending* diametrically i across and partially occupying the interiorspace of the body, the inner" end of thecasing being closed and theouter end open'and extending through and coinciding with the opening inthe side wallof the body, andan automatically operating lubricatingmeans mounted in the casing. i j j Y f 2. A bearingof the classspecified consisting of a cylindrical shell-like tubular body, a casingextending diametrically across the interior of the'.V body andvoccupying only a 115 portion of the interior space 'of' the latter, Yanlautomatically movable holder mounted inthe casing, the casingjopeninglthrough the` outer surface of the body, andra lubri j cant carriedbythe saidholder. Y

8. In aV Vdevice offthexclass specified, the combination of a"wheelibearing of cylindrical tubular form Ahaving an' opening therethrough andfalso Vopen at oppositefends,"a casing 'inclosed within-thevbodyand extend- 125 ing dia'metri'cally"acrossv the latter and havingone end openand extending through the opening ofthe bearing-fandterminating J'iush with the outer side ofthe bearing, a lubricatingmeansautomatically movable within movable lubricating means mounted in thecasing, a wheel having a hub rotatably en- 15 gaging the bearing, andsupporting means for the bearing secured against opposite ends thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing 20 Witnesses.

CHARLES M. FEI-ST.

Witnesses D. DE B EER,

H. B. GREGORY.

